Explosive projectile for use with weapons such as rifles and pistols



United States Patent 3,407,734 EXPLOSIVE PROJECIILE FOR USE WITH WEAPONS SUCH AS RIFLES AND PISTOLS Patrick MacDonald Tabor, Sierra Madre, Calif., as signolr to Mercox, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 2, 1966, Ser. No. 546,988 3 Claims. (Cl. 10266) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dart type explosive projectile for use with weapons such as rifles and pistols including a charge containing member with an explosive charge therein, a carrying member having guide fins mounted on the charge containing member, and locking means normally coupled between the two members for preventing detonation of the projectile until the same is propelled from the weapon.

. This invention relates to an explosive projectile and more particularly to a dart type projectile containing a suitable charge, such as an explosive and flash powder, which may be detonated upon impact of the dart with an object.

The dart type projectile of the present invention may contain any of many different types of charges, and is particularly suitable for use in law enforcement activities for providing a controlled explosion which can be directed at will. Although not intended for use on humans, it can have a substantial psychological effect when used in or near the vicinity of an individual or individuals. For example, a dart of this nature may be used to give the impression of the availability of a substantial amount of force or as a diversionary tactic by firing it over a crowd at an adjacent building or wall. It may be used to frighten and subdue a subject because of its explosion and resultant concussion effects, as well as to penetrate barricades such as doors, and the like. The dart is bore-safe which prevents it from being exploded until after it is fired from a weapon thereby adding a substantial element of safety in its use.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved projectile of relatively simple construction which can be propelled by small weapons, such as rifles and pistols.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an explosive dart type projectile which is relatively compact and simple in construction and which includes means preventing its detonation within a weapon.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dart which carries a suitable charge, such as an explosive and a flash powder, and which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dart constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the dart of FIG- URE l positioned within the barrel of a weapon; and

FIGURE 3 is a view of the dart upon contact with an object.

Referring now to the drawing, a dart according to the present invention includes an outer cylindrical member having guide fins 11 attached thereto, and a charge containing member generally indicated by reference numeral 12. The fins 11 may be made of plastic and threaded, or otherwise suitably secured, into the rear end of the member 10 which also may be made of plastic. A centrally located firing pin 14, which may be conical in shape,

is affixed to the rear end of the member 10 or affixed to the forward end of the fins 11.

The charge containing member 12 includes a cylindrical tube 16 preferably of stainless steel, the ends of which are crimped into respective crimp grooves 17 and 18 in a metal primer holder 19 and metal nose member 20, respectively. A high explosive charge in the form of a plurality of explosive pellets 22 is retained within the tube 16. These pellets are situated centrally within the tube 16 and surrounded by compacted flash powder 23, or other charges may be used. The primer holder 19 includes a central bore within which is located a high ex-' plosive detonator or primer 25. When the firing pin 14 contacts the detonator 25, the latter in turn detonates the charge within the tube 16.

The pellets 22 provide a flame which will burn through a seal section 27 of the nose member 20. The cylindrical configuration of the nose member 20 provides a given stand-off distance from an object 28 thereby enabling the focal point of the flame from the pellets -22 to exist at a predetermined distance in front of the dart. For example, the nose member 20 may have a longitudinal length of approximately one-half inch and the focal point of the flame extend approximately onehalf inch in front of the forward end of the nose member 20 as illustrated by dotted lines 29 in FIGURE 3 thereby giving the effect of a shaped charge.

Inasmuch as the firing pin 14 could be caused to contact the detonator upon initial firing of the dart from a weapon, a bore-safe arrangement is provided. The primer holder 19 includes a peripheral groove 30 which is inclined forwardly at 31. The cylindrical member 10 includes a plurality of radial apertures, only apertures 32 through 34 being visible in the various figures. A like plurality of balls, such as balls 35 and 36 are positioned in the groove 30 and extend into the apertures within the member 10 to thereby lock the primer holder 19 with respect to the member 10. During storage and prior to loading of the part into a weapon, a cylindrical band or ring as shown in FIGURE 1 is mounted on the member 10 over the radial apertures to prevent the balls from dropping out. As the dart is loaded into the barrel of a weapon, the ring 40 is slid off of the member 10 as the portion of this member having the radial apertures enters the barrel. The interior wall of the barrel 38 retains the balls in position as shown in FIGURE 2 until the dart is propelled from the weapon. The dart typically is fired or propelled by gas applied to the rear thereof within the barrel of the weapon. As the dart is propelled from the weapon, the balls, may drop from the dart. However, even if this does not occur, the inclined surface 31 of the primer holder 19 causes the balls to be ejected upon impact of the nose member 20 with the object 28 after which the firing pin 14 engages the detonator 25 as shown in FIGURE 3.

A dart according to the present invention may include a number of various charges. A plurality of pellets 22 and flash powder 23 may be used as described above. The pellets 22 provide a flame extending through the nose member 20 to burn into the object contacted, and the flash powder 23 provides additional fire, smoke, and noise. The member 12 may be loaded with gun powder, flash powder, or the like. Furthermore, flash powder and one or more high explosive pellets may be utilized along with other nonexplosive materials, such as buck shot and the like. The entire dart may be made of plastic to provide a minimum of fragmentation. A safety spring clip may be inserted through holes in the member 10 behind the primer holder 19 to provide additional safety during handling of the dart. The clip is withdrawn upon loading of the dart into a weapon.

Darts constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention may be utilized with and propelled by a weapon of the nature disclosed in copending United States patent application Ser. No. 546,979, new Patent No. 3,346,981, entitled Projectile Weapon, filed concurrently herewith by applicant.

The present embodiment of the invention is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope thereof being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims therefore are entended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. An explosive projectile which can be propelled by weapons, such as rifles and pistols, comprising a charge containing member including an explosive charge therein, detonating means coupled with one end thereof and a nose means coupled with another end thereof, said detonating means being substantially cylindrical and including a peripheral groove having an inclined side,

a carrying member mounted coaxially over at least a portion of said charge containing member, said carrying member including guide means and firing means, said firing means serving to contact said detonating means upon predetermined relative movement of said two members for detonating said explosive charge, and

locking means normally coupled between said two members for preventing said firing means from contacting said detonating means until said projectile is propelled from a weapon, and said locking means including a plurality of balls engaging said groove and said carrying member.

2. A projectile as in claim 1 wherein said detonating means has a bore therein and a primer is located in said bore, said firing means serving to contact said primer of said detonating means upon said predetermined relative movement of said two members for detonating said explosive charge, and said explosive charge is mounted coaxially within said charge containing member, and a burnable powder substantially surrounds said explosive charge.

3. An explosive projectile which can be propelled by weapons, such as rifles and pistols, comprising a cylindrical charge containing member including an explosive charge mounted coaxially therein and a burnable powder substantially surrounding said charge, detonating means coupled with one end of said member and nose means coupled with another end thereof, a I

said detonating means being substantially cylindrical and having a bore therein and a primer located in said bore, said detonating means including a peripheral groove having an inclined side,

said nose means being substantially cylindrical and providing a predetermined stand off distance of said explosive charge from an object upon contact of said nose member with said object,

a cylindrical carrying member mounted coaxially over at least a portion of said charge containing member and having a plurality of radial apertures therein, said 'carrying member including guiding means and firing means aflixed thereto, said firing means serving to contact said primer upon a predetermined relative movement together of said two members for detonating said explosive charge, and

a plurality of balls mounted in said groove in said detonating means for engaging said apertures in said carrying member for preventing said firing means from contacting said primer until said projectile is propelled from a weapon, said inclined side of said groove causing expulsion of said balls from said apertures when said nose means contacts an object.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. W. KU JAWA, Assistant Examiner. 

